1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to glucose monitoring devices, more particularly, glucose monitoring devices for use in conditions of dim light or total darkness.
2. Discussion of the Art
The prevalence of diabetes has been increasing markedly in the world. At this time, diagnosed diabetics represented about 3% of the population of the United States. It is believed that the total actual number of diabetics in the United States is over 16,000,000. Diabetes can lead to numerous complications, such as, for example, retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy.
The most important factor for reducing diabetes-associated complications is the maintenance of an appropriate level of glucose in the blood stream. The maintenance of the appropriate level of glucose in the blood stream may prevent and even reverse many of the effects of diabetes.
In order to use a glucose monitoring device, a sample of blood from an individual must first be obtained by any of a variety of methods, such as by needle or lancet. The individual then inserts a test strip carrying reagents into a blood glucose monitoring device, in which device blood glucose level is determined by a change in reflectance or a change in current of the test strip. The individual then applies the sample of blood to the test strip. The blood reacts with the reagents and causes a change in reflectance or a change in current of the test strip, thereby indicating the concentration of glucose in the sample of blood. There are numerous devices currently available for diabetics to monitor the concentration of glucose in blood.
Numerous glucose monitoring devices are commercially available. For example, some of the most popular glucose monitoring devices are sold under the following trade names: xe2x80x9cPRECISION QIDxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cMEDISENSE 2xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cEXACTECHxe2x80x9d, all of which are available from Abbott Laboratories, xe2x80x9cSURESTEPxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cONE TOUCHxe2x80x9d, all of which are available from Johnson and Johnson, xe2x80x9cGLUCOMETER ELITExe2x80x9d, available from Bayer, and xe2x80x9cACCUCHECKxe2x80x9d, available from Boehringer Mannheim. The foregoing glucose monitoring devices employ the principles previously described, i. e., measuring a change in reflectance or a change in current. At times, blood glucose level must be monitored under conditions of total darkness or limited light. For example, if blood glucose level is monitored in the middle of the night, it is likely that the room where the measurement is taken will be in total darkness. If blood glucose level is monitored at dusk, it is likely that the room where the measurement is taken will be in dim light. As indicated previously, one of the effects of diabetes is retinopathy. In conditions of total or partial darkness, an individual suffering from retinopathy may have difficulty in locating the glucose monitoring device or in using the glucose monitoring device once it is located. When testing in low light or in complete darkness, one has to turn on the light, move to an area of more light, or perform the assay in the dark. One glucose monitoring device, xe2x80x9cACCUCHECK COMPLETExe2x80x9d, has side lighting of the LCD display, but no other illumination.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a glucose monitoring device that can be easily located in conditions of complete or partial darkness and that can be used in conditions of complete or partial darkness after it is located.
This invention provides a glucose monitoring device suitable for use in total darkness or in limited light environment. The glucose monitoring device comprises a housing, which encloses the components of the device that determine the blood glucose level of a blood sample on a test strip. The exterior surface of the housing comprises a phosphorescent material. The portion of the test strip where the blood sample is to be applied can be illuminated by a light. The area of the glucose monitoring device where the test strip is inserted into the device can also be illuminated by a light. The light for illuminating the test strip can also provide the incident radiation to bring about light emission by the phosphorescent material. The display of the device, i. e., the area of the glucose monitoring device where the result is read, is also illuminated by a light.
This invention addresses at least three problems typically encountered by a diabetic who is suffering from retinopathy. The housing allows the patient to locate the glucose monitoring device in partial or total darkness. The light for illuminating the test strip enables the patient to easily insert the test strip into a port in the housing of the glucose monitoring device in partial or total darkness. The lighting of the display allows the patient to read the test result in partial or total darkness.